The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 122, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 2, 1999 Page: 1 of 18
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Gilmer Mirror and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Upshur County Library.
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Gilmer logo caps for sale
Bluegrass duo to perform
INSIDE
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Two Sections • 50 Cents
Saturday, January 2, 1999
Vol. 122 - No. 1 • C 1999 The Gilmer Mirror
1
briefly speaking
Working with exchange program
Policeman, wife seek others to host students from foreign lands
Sheriff presents
budget comparison
* Buckeyes lose, Page 5A
* Lady Buckeyes win. Page 5A
UPSHUR COUNTY OFFICIALS who were elected or reelected
during 1998 took their oaths of office on Thursday. They included,
front from left, Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Carolyn Weaver Perry,
County T reasurer Myra Harris, District Clerk Frankie Hamberlin, Pct.
2 Justice of the Peace Kaye Roeder, and Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace
Caps with the new Gilmer city logo, “Gilmer Texas Leading the
Way," are for sale. The caps are 5 panel 100-percent cotton twill
natural crown with contrasting maroon twill visor, button and
eyelets They can be purchased at City Hall or at The Logo for
$11 each plus tax. The logo is adapted from the Gilmer Main
Street logo, which states “Gilmer Main Street on the Square."
Jail opened, Ambassador U. sold in ‘98
Main Street program, 61st Yamboree noted among year’s successes
Weekend
Edition
y
3A
4A
7A
5A
7A
8-10A
Obituaries
Opinions_
Society
Sports
Church list
Classifieds
By PHILLIP WILLIAMS
Would you like to experi-
ence a foreign nation's culture
at minimal expense, and with-
out even having to go there?
In a sense, that’s possible
under a student exchange pro-
gram in which a Gilmer couple
is seeking to place foreign teen-
agers in East Texas homes for
several months.
The only costs to host fami-
lies are room ami board since
the youngsters have medical
and liability insurance, and
receive pocket money from
their parents. In addition, the
students have all demon-
strated proficiency in speak-
ing English.
Sid and Courtney Patterson
recently became area represen-
tatives for the program, ASSE
International, which says it
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Mirror Photo / Mac Overton
W V. Ray. Back row: County Judge Charles Still, County Clerk Rex
Shaw, Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Arnold Grimes, Pct. 4 Commis-
sioner Russell Green Jr., County Surveyor Joe Cox, Pct. 2 Comm.
Tommy Stanley and District Attorney Tim Cone.
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ORIGIN
ASSE stands for American
Scandinavian Student Ex-
change, since it was originally
established in the 1930s to pro-
vide student exchanges be-
tween •Sweden and the United
States. However, the program
has since expanded to include
other lands.
K The Pattersons have student
applicants from Japan, France,
Germany, and the Dominican
Republic. The couple plans to
host a 16-year-old Japanese girl
in their home, and have placed
a German girl, both of whom
will attend Gilmer High School
See EXCHANGE, page 2A
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performing together since Carr
joined Munde's beloved Coun
try Gazette in 1978.
When they're not touring the
world, Carr and Monde are
music instructors in one of the
most unusual college depart-
ments anywhere—the Country
and Bluegrass Music Depart-
ment of South Plains College in
Levelland
Their association with college-
level bluegrass music education
has earned thm the title of “The
Pickin' Professors."
Bringing this and other shows
to Gilmer, the Upshur County
I
I
t
. Ls.-
e Gilmer Mirror
I Since 1877 - Upshur County's Oldest Business Institution
would relinquish sponsorship
of the program.
Christopher Kimbrough, 26,
a Gladewater man who jailers
say tried to hang himself while
in the Upshur County Jail filed
a lawsuit against the county
and certain officers and jail-
ers, claiming that they had
tried to kill him while he was
in custody.
Ore City ISD broke ground
for a new junior high school
campus. •
Upshur County was in-
formed that it would receive
$554,028 as its part of a settle-
ment between the state of
Texas and tobacco companies.
Gilmer Main Street Debbie
Wood announced that grants
were available to help down-
town businesses which wanted
to improve their signs.
A hapless buzzard which sat
on a power line and got fried
was blamed for a 30-acre grass
fire northwest of Gladewater.
An Eastern utility company
announced that it was consid-
See 1998 REVIEW, page 2A
Single and divorced persons,
as well as families, may host
students, Patterson said He
said he can place two young-
sters in a home, but they can-
not be from the same country;
otherwise, they would talk
among themselves, and the
program is designed to help
them improve their English,
he said.
Students who come to
America do so not only to speak
the language better, but “to
experience the American cul-
ture,” Patterson said. The
exchange program is “helping
a child get here, basically,” he
said.
Yam Jammers square dance
The Y am Jammers Square Dance Club is sponsoring their
first dance Saturday, Jan 2, from 7 .30 to 10 pm at First
United Methodist Church
“Tim Tyl w ill be calling and all members invite you to join
us in bringing in 1999 " said Betty Parish, reporter for the
group
Wal-Mart blood drive
Stewart Regional Blood Center mobile unit will be at the
Wal-Mart Supercenter on U.S 271 North from 10 a m to
6 .30 p m Wednesday, Jan 6
Each donor will receive a 1999 KNUE Call To Arms Blood
Drive T-shirt
has handled student exchanges
involving nearly 40 countries.
Pupils from ages 15-18 who
come to America are placed in
homes for either six months or
10 months, and attend school
in the school district where
they live. Sid Patterson, a
Gilmer police officer, said he
and his wife can place students
in any East Texas school dis-
trict.
provide full-service emergency
care and trauma stabilization
to Gilmer at the sites of the
former Gilmer Medical Cen-
ter. The emergency room
opened a few months later.
Gilmer City Secretary Jan
Stanford resigned. Tom
Smyser was hired to replace
her.
Hayley Smithhart was pro-
claimed Queen Yam LXI,fol-
lowing the traditional two-
week ticket sale campaign.
Consumers Union, parent of
Consumer Reports magazine,
released a report on nonprofit
hospital conversion which fo-
cused heavily on the Gilmer
hospital.
Following revelation of a
$200,000 short fall in funds, the
East Texas Human Develop-
ment Corp (HUDCO) notified
the U.S. Dept, of Health and
Human Services (HHS) office
in Dallas that the Marshall-
based agency that operated the
Head Start program in Upshur,
Gregg, Marion, Harrison,
Panola and Wood Counties
by the State Jail Standards
Commission that the jail is “in
full compliance and ready foi
occupancy.” The county held
an open house at the jail which
was attended by football leg-
end Earl Campbell.
Upshur County commission-
ers extended a burning ban
outside incorporated areas be-
cause of continuing dry condi-
tions.
A tenth of an inch of rain on
July 1 brought the first break
in a 3-month drought in Up-
shur County.
A record heat wave, with
many days above 160 degrees,
contin ued.
Because of the continuing
drought, Gilmer went to water
rationing and instituted fines
for wasting water, while many
Upshur water systems insti-
tuted voluntary water conser-
vation measure?.
East Texas Medical Center
marked its first anniversary of
providing local health care in
Gilmer In early 1997, ETMC
had reached an agreement to
The bluegrass duo of Alan
Munde and Joe Carr will per-
form at the UpshurCounty Civic
Center on Friday. Jan 15, at 7
p m
With their blend of red-hot
picking, warm singing, and a
sly, relaxed sense of humor,
Munde and Carr have been en
tertaini ng audiences for decades
Munde is one of the most
highly respected and best-loved
banjo players in the world Carr
is a dazzling bluegrass guitar-
ist, a fine vocalist, and a witty
emcee
The Tex a s - hased d uo h a s been
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A
He compared the jail budget
to some other county depart
ments and their budgets.
Among reasons he cited for
the jail’s expense were that it
must operate under federal and
state laws and the rules of the
Texas Jail Commission.
Each cell must provide 80
square feet for each inmate,
Cross said
Three meals a day must be
provided for each inmate This
yea Mt here was an average of
300 meals served a day, and
meals must meet certain stan-
dards.
Jail uniforms and shoes
must be provided for prison-
ers, as are personal items such
as toothpaste and tooth
brushes, razors and shaving
equipment, toilet paper and
combs and other items.
Medical and dental needs of
inmates must also be provided
for, including trips to the emer-
gency room or hospital, and
medications. A dentist comes
to the jail monthly to pull teeth.
Cells must be maintained at
a temperature of 65 to 85 de-
grees.
Unlike other departments,
in which most employees work
eight hours a day, thejail must
operate 24 hours a day and
8,760 hours a year, Cross said.
A law library must also be
provided for inmates.
Deputies must transport
and guard inmates when they
go to doctor’s appointments,
hospitals, court, or to the state
penitentiary, drug abuse cen-
ters or other places.
“All of these rules and regu-
lations and other court rulings
make a jail very expensive to
operate,” said Cross.
He cited as a benefit of the
jail that it keeps people off the
streets who violate the law. He
See SHERIFF, page 2A
The second half of 1998 saw
more growth and change for
Gilmer and Upshur County.
The expanded county jail
passed inspection, and a buyer
was found for the closed cam-
pus of Ambassador University,
Big Sandy.
In political activities, Re-
publicans elected their first
county office-holder in living
memory, when during the gen-
eral election Arnold Grimes
was chosen as Pct. 1 Justice of
the Peace.
July—Richard Potter,
Gilmer civic leader and founder
of Gilmer Potteries, died while
on a trip to Padre Island. His
funeral was held in the Up-
shur County Civic Center.
Gilmer attorney David
Bishop, who had narrowly lost
his race for Upshur County
District Attorney in the Demo-
cratic Party primary in March,
was killed in a motorcycle ac-
cident
The expanded Upshur
County Jail passed inspection,
with the county being informed
y 13
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home. As a result, Sid
Patterson said, he and his wife
became interested in working
with ASSE.
“We can’t go there (to for-
eign countries), so we’ll bring
them (foreign students) here,”
Patterson said. He said host
families “get to experience the
culture” of the student’s land,
as well as its language
Arts Council is a nonprofit orga-
nization committed to providing
musical, dramatic and artistic
productions for the East Texas
community.
Other upcoming events will
include Donald Cowan King in
“Meet Mark Twain!" and classi-
cal guitarist Robert Bluestone
This year’s season is partially
supported by Texas Commission
on the Arts
Advance ticket prices for in-
dividual performances are $7 9
for students, $9-10 for seniors,
and $10-12 for adults. On show
See BLUEGRASS, page 2A
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EDITOR S NO TE This ar
tide is based on a prepared
presentation by Upshur ('ounty
Sheriff Ruck ( 'ross on Sheriff's
Department and County Jail
finances and budgeting. It was
presented to be presented to
county commissioners on
Thursday A copy of Cross's
report was pu cn to commis
stoners on Monday, but pre
sentation was delayed because
Pct 2 Comm Tommy Stanley
said he wanted to study it and
develop questions. Recause of
early press deadlines, the Sat-
urday edition of The Gilmer
Mirror was completed before
commissioners met. Their re-
sponse0if any, to Cross will be
covered in the Jan 6 edition.
Upshu r County Sheriff Buck
Cross presented a report to
Upshur County Commission-
ers Thursday about financial
operations of the Sheriff’s De-
partment and t he County Jail.
His report came in response
to comments made at a previ-
ous meeting by Pct. I Comm
Gaddis Lindsey and Pct. 2
Comm. Tommy Stanley that
thejail was expensive to oper-
ateand that thecmuntybudget
had contained projected rev-
enues from housing out-of
county prisoners which have
not yet materialized.
“Much has been said in the
past few months about the
county going broke,' ('ross said
in his prepared statement,
“that the county judge and the
sheriff hapn spent too much
money on the new addition to
the jail."
He said he wanted to ex-
plain why it is expensive to
operate a county jail
“The jail is a necessary evil,”
he said. “No one wants a jail,
but we must have one. Also,
thejail is not'the only expen-
sive item in the budget."
The Pattersons can also ar-
range for Upshur County stu-
dents to stay in homes and
attend school in Canada,
Mexico, or Europe—and the
program isn’t limited to those
that can pay their own way.
The couple saw an adver-
tisement for the ASSE program
in an area newspaper, and
called about the possibility of
hosting a teen-ager in their
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Overton, Mac. The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 122, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 2, 1999, newspaper, January 2, 1999; Gilmer, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1479216/m1/1/: accessed May 14, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Upshur County Library.